I open my mouth, but Felix beats me to it. ‘We are going to Leeds to see Rory.’
Will nods. ‘That’s nice.’
‘Rory is my ex-boyfriend,’ I say to Will. ‘And you? Are you going anywhere nice?’
Will fiddles with the cuff of his blue shirt. ‘To visit my son. He lives up north with his mum. We’re not together anymore. I try to see him every other weekend and at Christmas.’ He looks inside his shirt pocket. ‘I fancy a hot drink from the buffet car. Can I get you both anything? My shout as it is going to be a long journey and it is nice to have company.’
‘Well, that’s lovely, thank you. I’ll have a coffee, a flat white. Felix – do you want anything?’
‘A Fruit Shoot please,’ Felix mumbles. ‘Apple & Blackcurrant.’
Will gives us a thumbs up and walks towards the far end of the carriage.
My phone starts to bleep. It’s Lizzie.
‘Ems, have you found Felix?’ Lizzie’s voice is tinged with concern.
‘Yes, he was on a train to Leeds.’
Lizzie gasps. ‘What?’
‘Long story,’ I say as Felix casts me a sheepish look.
‘I’m not liking the sound of this. So, are you on the train to Leeds as well now?’
I let out a nervous laugh. ‘Yes, Felix ran off and boarded the nonstop train from Kings Cross to Leeds so we’re going on a little festive trip.’
Lizzie gasps again. ‘All the way to Leeds? Don’t shout at me but do you think it might be a good time to discipline Felix? Like take that bloody iPad away from him?’
I turn away from Felix. ‘That doesn’t work.’
‘Is this Rory related by any chance?’
‘Yes, it is.’
I can hear Lizzie relaying what I’m saying to Bill in the background.
‘Are you going to pay him a visit?’ Lizzie asks.
Felix can hear Lizzie down the phone. I know he can because he’s looking up at me.
‘I don’t know,’ I say, quietly. ‘He has his new girlfriend with him.’
‘Oh, God, Ems, do you want to do this? You could be walking in on ANYTHING. Just tell Felix you don’t want to go see him.’
With a sigh I glance at Felix. ‘Yes, I might try that.’
‘Stay in touch. The snow is going to get bad later and we will be worried about you both.’
‘We’re okay.’
Will returns carrying our drinks. Felix goes back to the iPad, and I sip my coffee while listening to Will talk about what he plans to do over Christmas with his son. The way he talks about his son, I can tell he adores him. They always get the same haircut at a local barber shop when they’re together, short at the sides and spiky at the front. Afterwards, they go to the nearest Mercedes car showroom and look at the latest fancy cars to buy. Both he and his boy are mad about Mercedes cars.
As Will talks I remember what Lizzie said last night about how maybe I should date someone else and see whether that helps me unlove Rory. I could date someone like Will, he seems kind and genuine. He’s handsome but he’s not on Rory’s level of handsome. Rory’s face flashes up inside my mind. My heart somersaults in appreciation of Rory’s boyish smile and those blue eyes which would give me permanent happy, summer day vibes. I still love everything about Rory. I remember how happy I felt when we’d meet after work and then go have some fun, the butterflies in my stomach when he texted me and the childlike excitement when I knew he was on his way to see me. He was the most caring boyfriend I ever had with his daily texts to tell me he was thinking about me and, if I was going out with Lizzie after work, I had to call him when I was home, no matter what time, so he knew I was safe. Damn you, Rory. There’s no one else in the world who will match up to you.
CHAPTER18
RORY
